Astronomy

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, Oct 22-28, 2017

/ Melanie Marttila

It’s time to get your mental corn popping, my friends.

Phil Plait reports on our first interstellar visitor: an asteroid from another star. Did you go out and look at the moon on Saturday? You should have. October 28 was International Observe the Moon Night. Of course, it was overcast here in the Sudz 😦 SyFy

NASA releases its findings from its study of the Kelly twins. IFLS

SciShow: hypnagogia.

 

And in SciShow news, the Alphago AI and how volcanoes may have influenced ancient Egypt.

 

This is amazing. Russell Powell makes paintings with his hand prints. You just have to see it to appreciate it.

 

Livia Albeck-Ripka: for an endangered animal, a hurricane or a wildfire can mean the end. The New York Times

Kulning – an ancient herdingcall – a farewell song to the cows (and it actually works!)

 

For Hallowe’en, Sonya Vatomsky shares the origins of 25 monsters, ghosts, and spooky things. Buzzfeed

We’ll meet again, come December.

Be well until then 🙂

thoughtythursday2016

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Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, Sept 3-9, 2017

/ Melanie Marttila

It’s a little bit of everything to get your mental corn popping 🙂

If you get goosebumps when you listen to music, like Greg Evans, your brain might be special. (Not church lady special …) A friend of mine calls them les frissons musicale 🙂 The Independent

David Nield: scientists may finally have discovered the trigger for autoimmune diseases. Science Alert

Katherine Schafler says the one thing no one ever says about grieving. Thrive Global

Patti Neighmond warns, get off the couch, baby boomers, or you might not be able to later. NPR

If you drink tap water, you’re consuming plastic pollutants—ick! Dan Morrison and Christopher Tyree for PRI.

Kate Shuttleworth counts the 606 pairs of shoes that represent New Zealand suicides this year alone. The Guardian

Mary Shepperson discovers ancient Iraq’s Sealand Kings. The Guardian

Brigit Katz reports on the lost languages discovered in one of the world’s oldest continuously run libraries. The Smithsonian Magazine

Tom Nichols: how we killed expertise. Politico

Maria Sacchetti reports on what will happen to the Dreamers if DACA is repealed. The Washington Post

Jessica Taylor says Congress can save DACA—but will they? NPR

Eric Roston shows you what’s really causing global warming. Bloomberg Businessweek

Now is exactly the time we should be talking about climate change. Phil Plait for Syfy.

Phil Plait documents our close encounter with asteroid Florence. SyFy

94 year old veteran Harry Leslie Smith has a warning for the world: don’t let my past be your future. The Independent

Ta-Nahisi Coates: the first white president. The Atlantic

The United Nations unveils stunning memorial in New York dedicated to the millions who were killed or sacrificed in the slave trade to create America’s riches. Nick Chiles for the Atlanta Black Star.

Chelene Knight says, constantly proving my blackness is exhausting. The Globe and Mail

This is simply brilliant: even racists got the blues. Read the whole post. Brill, I say! The Geeky Gaeilgeoir

Bored Panda presents the photos of a 17-year-old Stanley Kubrick.

Nothing but Thieves – Broken Machine

 

And, just for fun, the original, 1969 (year of my birth, incidentally) Manamana from Sesame Street. Muppet mania forever!

 

And that was your Thoughty Thursday for the week!

Be well until the weekend 🙂

thoughtythursday2016

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, Aug 27-Sept 2, 2017

/ Melanie Marttila

It’s time to get the mental corn popping, people!

Alfredo Corchado: Mexico offers to help Harvey-soaked Texas. The Dallas News

Charles P. Pierce reports that we are not prepared for the ecological disaster Harvey is creating. Esquire

And Harvey isn’t the only system making news. Chloe Farand reveals that monsoons have killed 1,200 and left millions homeless in India, Bangladesh, and Nepal. The Independent

Murray Sinclair says we’re focused on the wrong thing when it comes to reconciliation. CBC’s “As it happens.”

Brandi Morin: First Nations students face continued funding shortfalls. CBC

David Kadavy explains how to be a creativity machine. Medium

Hannah Nichols wonders, what happens to the brain as we age? Medical Health News

What science tells us about good and evil. Yudhijit Battacharjee and Lynn Johnson for National Geographic.

Tom Chivers explains how to spot a psychopath. The Telegraph

The latest Cassini images of Saturn and its moons are breathtaking. Sci-Tech Universe

Phil Plait shares what he discovered standing under the shadow of the moon. SyFy

Jaymi Heimbuch shares seven things you never knew about dragonflies. Cause I loves the dragonflies 🙂 Mother Nature Network

Chris Ketonen reports on the Northwestern Ontario man who nursed an injured eagle back to health. CBC

Be well until the weekend!

thoughtythursday2016

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, June 4-10, 2017

/ Melanie Marttila

And here’s how we get your mental corn popping 🙂

John Campo thinks it’s time to recognize mental health as essential as physical health. Stat

Emily Esfahani Smith: science says lasting relationships come down to kindness and generosity. The Atlantic

Janice Johnson reports on the assault victim who was jailed and had to wear shackles to testify. CBC

Scott Gilmore shows us the Canada most people don’t see. Maclean’s

Rise of the machines: who is “the internet of things” good for? Adam Greenfield for The Guardian.

Phil Plait: Einstein was right (again!). Astronomers watch as a star’s gravity bends light from another star. Blastr

It’s okay to be smart looks at the implications of CRISPR:

 

Ian Sample: the oldest homo sapiens bones ever found shake the foundations of the human story. The Guardian

Kelly Richman-Abdou looks at the ancient techniques and evolution of traditional Japanese tattoos. My Modern Met

Because this addresses Guardians of the Galaxy, volume 2, I’d normally put it in Tipsday … BUT because science is way too geeky for that!

 

I hope you have a few tasty ideas to take to the page.

Be well until the weekend! *waves*

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Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, May 7-13, 2017

/ Melanie Marttila

Time to get your mental corn popping 🙂

Torey Van Oot sits down with Malala Yusafsai to discuss her Nobel and college. Refinery 29

Katie-Anne Laulumets explains how to love a daughter of the forest. The Elephant Journal

Thom Dunn shares 17 stunning photos of black Victorians that show what history really looked like. UpWorthy

Medievalists.net: women’s medicine and feminine embodiment in Morte D’Arthur, a middle English Trotula treatise, and The Mists of Avalon.

Nathan H. Lents, PhD, reveals the big news about homo naledi. Skeptic

Travis M. Andrews reports on a dinosaur fossil so well-preserved, it looks like a statue. The Washington Post

Here’s the additional cutural appropriation posts I promised:

Alli Kirkham shares a comic about double standards. Everyday Feminism

A Fordham professor becomes an accidental icon. BoredPanda

Rania Naim says, you’re allowed to leave … Thought Catalog

Dave Booda promises, it’s not lame to ask a woman’s permission. The Good Men Project

Lesley Stahl: what the last Nuremburg prosecutor alive wants the world to know. 60 Minutes

Steve Paulson: Roger Penrose’s theory on how consciousness doesn’t compute and why some scientists disagree. Nautilus

Steve John Powell looks at mindfulness: the Japanese skill that everyone wants to copy. BBC

Emma Seppala: happiness research shows the biggest obstacle to creativity is being too busy. Quartz

Phil Plait: colliding clusters of galaxies make gorgeous waves. Blastr

NASA’s Juno spacecraft beams back the sharpest images of Jupiter yet. EWAO (Earth. We are one.)

Wasn’t sure where to put this … Kate Rose discusses the full moon crossing Vishika, or, as a friend said, full moon in scorpio. The post comes with a lovely disclaimer 😉 The Elephant Journal

Selena Chambers pays tribute to the women surrealists helping her through the new political reality. Literary Hub

Marissa Fessenden reports that Lake Michigan is so clear its shipwrecks are visible from the air. Smart News

Adam Rogers: all the trees will die, and then so will you. Wired

Thomas Dambo makes wooden giants and then hides them around Copenhagen. Can You Actually

The bucket, A.K.A. some guy put a go pro at the bottom of a bucket. It’s quite cool, though. And tranquil.

 

This weekend, I’ll have a post about Story Masters for you.

Until next I blog, be well.

thoughtythursday2016

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, March 19-25, 2017

/ Melanie Marttila

I hope something in this mess gets your mental corn popping 🙂

Pete Mohrbacher has been painting surrealist angels since 2004. I would plaster the house with his work if I could. Angelarium.

Lori Dorn shares a documentary about M.C. Escher. Laughing Squid

Joel Levy shares some vintage photographs of the Toronto Islands. Toronto Guardian

Teodora Zareva: Disney is fulfilling on of Nicola Tesla’s dreams. Big Think

Matt Simon covers the revelation of the crazy-tough water bear’s secret. Wired

Phil Plait reacquaints himself with an old friend that has a new mystery. Is it a planet, or a star? Blastr

Then, a three billion solar mass black hole rockets out of a galaxy at eight billion kilometres and hour. Blastr

Umir Abrar: the big bang isn’t the beginning of our universe—it’s the ending of something else. Physics-Astronomy

Gobblynne provides a great reminder and lovely interpretation of the two wolves mindfulness parable. Vimeo

Tom Jacobs thinks America needs a crash course in critical thinking. I think everyone, everywhere, could use a primer. Pacific Standard

Ever twist yourself into philosophical knots wondering about the nature of reality? That’s okay, Professor Donald H. Hoffman says it probably doesn’t matter because living in a constructed fantasy world is the thing that allows us to survive. Robby Berman for Big Think.

Tori Rodriguez reveals that negative emotions are key to your wellbeing. Scientific American

Lee Suckling lists twelve signs that you may be an extroverted introvert. Stuff

Vicki Hall reports on Clara Hughes’ continuing struggle with mental illness. The National Post

Brian Resnick: if you’re not a morning person, science says you never will be. Vox

Mayim Bialik: girl vs. woman and why language matters.

 

Jim Moodie covers how Shannon Agowissa and Lisa Osawamick are helping to keep Sudbury’s indigenous girls and women safe. The Sudbury Star

Jimmy Thomson reports on the development of new maps that will depict the pre-colonial “Turtle Island” Canada. I’m eager to see these. CBC

Gregory D. Smithers examines the enduring legacy of the Pocahontas myth. The Atlantic

A Medieval abbey trapped by tides and time. Great Big Story

 

I love dance. So you think you can dance is the only reality television I watch. So this hip hop routine by Kyle Hanagami for Ed Sheeran’s “The Shape of You” kind of blew me away.

 

And that was your thoughty for the week.

See you on the weekend for my next chapter update.

Be well until then.

thoughtythursday2016

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, Feb 19-25, 2017

/ Melanie Marttila

It’s time to pop that mental corn, people.

In the war between Baby Boomers and Millennials, we’ve forgotten the hard-working, hard-playing Generation X. Um, no. We haven’t. Interesting article nonetheless. David Barnett for The Independent.

Jon Brooks: Girl? Boy? Both? Neither? A new generation overthrows gender. KQED Science

How slavery changed the DNA of African Americans. Michael White for the Pacific Standard.

Sarah Dziedzic discusses African-Canadian history with Cheryl Foggo. Canadian Living

Tristan Hopper recounts how smallpox decimated BC. The National Post

Bruce Kasanoff: intuition is the highest form of intelligence. Forbes

Anna Lovind: what if you’re on the wrong train?

I love language, and so, when I saw this article on Queens, the linguistic hub of the world, I had to share. Thanks, Lori. You always post teh awesome. Gus Lubin for The Business Insider.

This makes me sad, though. Kat Eschner: four things that happen when a language dies. The Smithsonian Magazine

Elizabeth Kolbert writes about why facts don’t change our minds. The New Yorker

Phil Plait: SpaceX nails the landing after an historic launch. Blastr

Umir Abrar is slightly embarrassed. A giant, dark galaxy is orbiting ours, but astronomers just noticed it. Physics Astronomy

Seven Earth-sized planets found orbiting around a nearby (relatively speaking) star. Phil Plait for Blastr.

NASA presents a celebration of clouds.

Brian Cox explains how the Large Hadron Collider disproves the existence of ghosts. BBC

Healthy Holistic Living shows you how to make a bee waterer to help support pollinating insects 🙂

Lauren Cassani Davis: horses can read human facial expressions (more than dogs or chimpanzees). The Atlantic

Moby just released four hours of free music composed for yoga and meditation. Educate Inspire Change

Imogen Heap – Run-time.

 

I hope you’ve got some good ideas to fuel you through the week.

See you Saturday for my February 2017 update 🙂

Be well until then!

thoughtythursday2016

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, Dec 11-17, 2016

/ Melanie Marttila

If your brain’s already gone on holiday, have some thoughty fun with these offerings 🙂

Saw last week that Alan Thicke has passed away, too. It’s been such a sad year for performers and artists 😦 And political unrest. And Syria . . . Take heart. Here are 99 reasons 2016 was a great year. Medium

Christopher Dickey shares the tale of angels of the resistance (and one serial killer) in Nazi-occupied Paris. The Daily Beast

UN Women takes a stand against gender-based violence.

 

Eugene Soltes explores the psychology of white-collar criminals. The Atlantic

Matt Blitz tells the real story behind the myth of Area 51. Popular Mechanics

Annalee Newitz investigates the lost city of Cahokia under the St. Louis suburbs. Ars Technica

Amanda Gefter interviews Donald D. Hoffman: the case against reality. One of my favourite bits: “… we have evolution itself to thank for this magnificent illusion …” The Atlantic

Peter Dockrill: cellular reprogramming has been used to reverse the aging process in animals. Science Alert

Simon Oxenham explains why bees could be the secret to superhuman intelligence. BBC

Peter Brannen examines a possible break in one of evolution’s biggest mysteries. The Atlantic

Chris Jones reports on Sara Seager, the woman who might find us another Earth. The New York Times Magazine

Watch this cool BBC video about how one woman with Parkinson’s regained the ability to write and draw.

 

Robby Berman reports on filmmaker Adam Rosenberg’s hilarious video in which he shares some of his nocturnal musings. It’s called Somniloquist and you have to watch it. Nearly peed myself laughing. Slate

Olga Khazan explains how magic mushrooms help patients with severe anxiety and depression. The Atlantic

Lauren Vinopal lists the 18 best houseplants for cleaning the air, according to NASA. Fatherly

Julia Shaw: I’m a scientist, and I don’t believe in facts. Scientific American

George Dvorsky reports on what the brightest supernova ever seen really was. Gizmodo

Natalie Wolchover: quantum gravity research could reveal the true nature of time. Wired

‘Tis the season, so here’s sommat from Grimfrost on Vikings, Santa, and Christmas 🙂

 

Honest to Paws introduces us to the Akhal-Teke, the most beautiful horse in the world.

Hope your mental corn’s a-poppin’ fit to see you through the holiday frenzy 🙂

Have a good one, everyone!

thoughtythursday2016

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, Nov 27-Dec 3, 2016

/ Melanie Marttila

Just a little thoughty for you, this week. Keep in mind that I was finishing off NaNoWriMo for half the week 😉

Some helpful advice on fact-checking:

 

Alex Borgella explores several theories on what makes us laugh (and why we should care). Fast Company

Joe Pitawanakwat extols the benefits of cedar bough tea on the Creators Garden blog.

Jonathan Rosen reports on how Africa has found power off the grid. MIT Technology Review

Baback A. Tafreshi lists ten of the best ancient sites for stargazing. National Geographic

Phil Plait invites us to take a swing at the stars. Slate

Jenny Woodman takes a look at the women “computers” who revolutionized astronomy (and paved the way for women in the sciences). The Atlantic

Aw, kawaii! This rescued baby wombat bonds with his caretaker. Alexandra E. Petri for National Geographic.

I hope that popped your mental corn . . . a few kernels, at least.

See you on Saturday for some WorldCon reportage.

<waves>

thoughtythursday2016

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, Oct 23-29, 2016

/ Melanie Marttila

Let’s get that mental corn a-poppin’, shall we?

Terri Windling muses upon the death of the year. Myth & Moor

Shahan Russell writes about the mysterious death of Rasputin, the Siberian monk who brought down the Tsar of Russia. War History Online

The Medievalists present the medieval walking dead. Better that the latest series premiere? You be the judge.

Michael Livingston delves into the medieval origins of Hallowe’en. Tor.com

Debby Banham and Christine Voth explore the diagnosis and treatment of wounds in Old English medical collections. Medievalists

Archaeologists make a baffling Celtic find in France. The Vintage News

Ben Thomas shares his research into four great African empires that astonished the world. Medium

Discover Sanxingdui, the ancient Chinese city that’s older than Rome. The Vintage News

The tragedy of Meagen Pilon and human trafficking in Sudbury. Laura Stradiotto for The Sudbury Star.

Ashton Kutcher’s mission to end human trafficking has rescued 6000 people so far. The Earth Child

“Bitch.” Brave New Voices

 

Anxiety is an invalid excuse. Just Cut the Bullshit

Ephrat Livni: scientists explain how happiness makes us less creative. Quartz

Alan Watts – why your life is not a journey.

 

Andrew Griffin reports on signals from outer space that scientists believe could be messages from aliens. The Independent

Laura Parker digs into bioinspiration, the thrilling new science that could transform medicine. The Guardian

The man once thought to have spread HIV to America has been cleared by science. James Gallagher for the BBC.

Adam Capay’s treatment reflects poorly on corrections and on government. On all of us, really. The Globe and Mail

Remember Jumpy, the dog who does parkour? Well, he’s also the smartest dog in Hollywood. Amy Nicholson for MTV News.

Moar dog shaming?  Oh yeah! I waste so much time

Cosmic guinea pig.

 

The Pentatonix cover Hallelujah.

 

Thoughty Thursday will return, December 8th.

And watch for my two-month next chapter update on December 3rd.

Then, you can find out what I was doing instead of blogging in the month of November 🙂

Be well until then!

thoughtythursday2016